Lariat



R. L. LA RUE March 5, 1935.

LARIAT Filed NOV. 16, 1932 i r Wm Cwwqfw swg Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEj- Richard L. La Rue, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 16, 1932, Serial No. 642,898'

3 Claims.

This invention relates to lariats or lassos, and particularly to a lariat'for use by amateurs in performing tricks.

-An object of the invention is to provide a lariat 5. that can not twist or kink and in which the size of the noose may be fixed when desired.

A lariat having the characteristics specied constitutes a very desirable article having a strong appeal to those who desire to perform rope tricks,

`but who iind the regular lariat too difficult to handle.

` When spinning a lariat the rotation of the loop or noose necessarily imparts a twist to that portion of the rope extending to the hand of the operator. An expert permits the rope .to roll in his hand to prevent the twist accumulating in the rope, but the novice has difficulty in maintaining the loop in rotation if he attempts to permit the rope to roll in his hand. The novice also 20 often has trouble preventing the loop or noose from diminishing or increasing in size while he is spinning it. v

In Vaccordance with the present invention, twisting of the rope is prevented'by inserting several swivels at intervals along the rope, so that no matter how the operator holds it there is always at least one swivel between his hand and the loop. The swivels are made substantially the same outside diameter as the rope so that they pass readily through the hondoo, which is the small loop or eye in the end of the rope through which the running or free part of the rope passes to form the running noose. In accordance with this invention, the noose is maintained of oonstantsize when desired by means of a choker device for clamping the hondoo about the rope at any desired point.

.The present invention also comprises an improved clamp for forming the hondoo in the lariat.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete lariat in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a detail View in perspective, showing the construction of the hondoo and the choker for regulating the size of the opening therein;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of one of the swivels;

Figure 4 is a sectional view in the plane IV-IV of Figure 2, showing the construction ofthe ferrule onA the hondoo;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View in the plane 5 5 of Figure 4, also showing the construction of the ferrule on the hondoo; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternative (Cl, 11S-153) device for choking the running portionof the'P lariat within the hondoo. 1

Referring to Figure 1, my improved lariat com-` prises a rope 1 formed in several sections which are joined by swivels 2 and having a hondoo,

- designated' generally at 3, which is formedron the end of the rope by means of a ferrule,designatedM generally at 4. A choker' for regulating the sizev of the opening in the hondoo is indicated at -5.

Referring to Figure 3, each swivel 2Vcomprises a pair of tubular ferrules 6 made of brass or` other suitable material of substantial thickness. Each ferrule 6 is provided with an end-v wall-7Y having van opening therein of smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the ferrule'proper, This end wall s-formed by turning theend of the ferrule inwardly. The two cooperating ferrules 6 forming each swivel are Vflexibly jointed together by a tubular member 8 of slightly smaller outside diameter than the openings in the end walls 7 of the ferrules, which member 8 has its ends flared outwardly toform flanges 9 bearing against the endwalls 7. The two ferrules 6 are joined together by the tubular member 8 before the swivel is inserted in the lariat, the end 7 of the ferrules being slipped over the tubular member 8 and the ends of the latter thereafter expanded to form the-flanges 9. A

The open ends of the ferrule 6 are initially ared outwardly to permit ready insertion of the ends of the rope 1 therein;l thereafter the ends of the ferrules are compressed inwardly until they dig into the rope, as shown at 10, thus firmly clamping the ferrules onto the rope. Each ferrule 6 preferably has an outside diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the rope 1, so that the swivels 2 can slip readily through the hondoo of the lariat if and when it is desired to form a relatively large running noose.

As shown clearly in Figure 2, the hondoo 3 is formed by doubling back one end of the rope forming the lariat and clamping it to the continuous portion of the rope by means of the ferrule 4. Ferrule 4 is tapered so that it fits tightly about the rope l at its small end l1 and is enlarged and llattened at the opposite end to receive the doubledback end of the rope. The hondoo is formedV by first passing the rope through the ferrule 4, then doubling the butt end 12 of the rope back and inserting it in the large end 13 of the ferrule as far as it will go. The butt end 12 of the rope is then secured within the ferrule by indenting the latter at the large end, as shown at 14 in Figure 5. The ferrule is iirmly clamped to the continuous portion of the rope 1 by turning in one longitudinal edge of the ferrule, as shown at 15 in Figure 4, the ferrule being split longitudinally to permit this operation.

The choker 5 may be made in a number of forms, but I have shown it as comprising a piece of heavy wire bent into the form of a figure 8 about the two sections of rope forming the hondoo. The eyes of the choker are proportioned to t snugly about the rope sections passing therethrough, so that the device is held quite rinly by friction in any position to which it may be moved.

In operation, the lariat described is used substantially as is the regular lariat, except that it is unnecessary for the operator to roll the rope in his hands to compensate for the twist intro*- duced by spinning the noose. 5 is moved toward the clamp e, the hondoo is of large size permitting the running part ofthe rope to slip freely therethrough, thuspermitting the lariat to be used for all the purposes that a regular` lariat having a free running noose may be used. However, if anovice Ydesires to spin the lariat and has diiculty in maintaining the noose of constant size, he may shift the choker 5 away from the clamp 4 until the hondoo grips the running lportion of the rope tightly. Thereafter, the noose will remain of constant size despite any lack of skill in spinning on the part of the user.

I have shown in Figure 6 an alternative device for restricting free movement of the running portion of the lariat through the hondoo. This device comprises a short piece of heavy wire 16 having its free ends clamped about the loop 3' of the hondoo and having its mid portion doubled back to form an eye 17 through which the free portion 1 of the` lariat runs. The eye 17 is provided with an opening at 18 through which When the chokerthe rope 1 may be forced for insertion. The eye 17 is preferably dimensioned to grip the rope 1 snugly so that it is securely clamped in place. Because of the fact that the opening 18 faces toward the ferrule 4 of the hondoo, there is no tendency for the running portion of the rope l to escape through the opening 18 when the lariat is being spun.

It is to be understood that although I have shown a specific form of my invention, which is very desirable, I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction disclosed, but only as recited in the following claims.

lI claim:

Al.. In a rope lariat having a hondoo with a large opening as compared to the size of said rope, means lfor choking the hondoo about the rope [comprising a figure 8 clamp of heavy wire,

the eyes of the clamp tting snugly about the two portions of rope forming the hondoo whereby the Aclamp may be moved along said hondoo and frictionally retained in the position to which it is moved.

2. In combination, a rope lariat having a hondoo formed by bending back the end of the rope and securing the end to the body of the rope, and means for Varying the size of the opening in said hondoo comprising afclamp movable back and forth over the doubled rope constituting the hondoo for varying the size of the eye of the hondoo.

3. In combination with a lariat having a hondoo, means mounted on the hondoo for snugly engaging the running portion of the lariat passing through the hondoo for resisting free longitudinal movement of said running portion through the hondoo.

RICHARD L. LA RUE. 

